Performing pushups is well known to develop and maintain a strong upper body and general cardiovascular fitness. Push-ups use the body's own weight to increase upper body strength and thus this exercise is not limited by age or gender. Push-ups develop several muscles such as the pectoralis major in the chest, the deltoids, the scapular muscles and rotator cuff, the triceps and the upper back muscles. Push-ups develop general body strength and core body strength. A push-up can easily be performed on any flat surface.
While no specific equipment is required to perform a push-up, many people, as they increase their fitness level, want to increase the benefit they could get from ordinary push-ups. A higher level of strength endurance can be developed through a higher number of repetitions. However, for people who have a large degree of upper body strength, a push-up on a floor does not provide enough resistance to challenge that person's muscles. Additional resistance is required to push to the next level. One way to increase the intensity of push-ups is to add weights. This is termed a “weighted push-up”. Typically, to perform a weighted push-up, the exerciser lies prone on the floor with hands slightly wider than the shoulder width and then raises his body up off the floor by extending the arms. A partner places weight plate(s) on the middle of the back and the push-ups are repeated. This type of pushup requires the help of a partner to secure the weight(s) on the exerciser's back. An alternative method of doing a weighted push-up is to use a weighted backpack, or a sandbag, or wear a weighted vest.
Descriptions of devices designed to enhance push-ups can be found, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,050,926; 7,060,014; 7,318,793; 7,114,352; 5,033,741 and U.S. Patent Application Nos. US2008/0070764 and US2006/0035771.
The present invention provides a novel device for performing weighted push-ups that can used in a commercial gym or at home.